The object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for adjusting the "feel" to a musician of a weighted action keyboard to synthesizer "feel."
A musical key block assembly having a plurality of keys, each key is pivotally mounted for actuation about a pivot and biased to a normal at rest position. Key actuation sensor strips can be positioned above or below the keys to sense key actuation and expression effects and provide electrical signals for MIDI processing. Key weight members are associated with each key and are pivotally mounted or fulcrumed on a common pivot member and engaged by a key stem extending from its associated key so that depression or playing of a key by a musician causes the stem to engage its respective key weight and pivot the weight about the common pivot. The key weights are designed to provide the normal "piano feel" to the musician. In order to modify the "feel", according to the invention, a bar member is hingedly mounted adjacent all or a selected number of the key weights so that when the bar member is pivoted about its hinge axis, it pivots all or the selected number of key weights to a position where the respective key stems do not engage the respective key weight member and thereby change the feel from a regular piano weighted feel to the "feel" of a synthesizer.
Some musicians do not desire the weighted feel for base notes. In this case, the bar member is adapted to affect only base note keys.
Felt or rubber padding is on the surface of the bar member for silencing. The bar member may be operated to different positions of adjustment by a wheel(s) or by a lever(s) positioned at the end(s) of the keyblock assembly. While manual adjustment of the bar member is preferred, it will be appreciated the weight adjustment bar member can be operated by a small electric motor or solenoid controlled by a switch.